1. Field of the Invention
A marking device for a generally cylindrical conductor of fluids, electric energy, light waves and the like, includes a hollow shell containing a horizontal longitudinal through passage for receiving one of a plurality of conductors of different diametric sizes, the shell being horizontally divided to define an upper shell section having an internal surface provided with a centrally-arranged downwardly-directed conductor seat, and a lower shell section including internal resilient support means for biasing the conductor laterally upwardly toward the conductor seat. An indicia-bearing plate is connected with the external surface of the upper shell section directly above the conductor seat.
2. Description of Related Art
In the case of installations with electrical, fluid or light-conducting lines, it is necessary as a rule to make sure that the lines—especially the cables—are marked for matchup connection. For this purpose, one applies on the outside preferably dimensionally stable inscription tabs, certain digits and/or numbers and/or symbols, which, however, can also be printed on a label that is then glued upon the inscription tab. The two partial shells can be flexibly connected with each other by means of a hinge and the two partial shells can be locked together with each other by a locking hook that constitutes the terminal element of one partial shell and that for purposes of locking in a lock seat can be inserted into the other partial shell. In this position, a stepped catch undercuts the lock seat.
According to the typical state of the art as shown in the Wieneke et al European patent No. EP 0 924 712 B1 (which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention), a conductor biasing element is provided in the form of a loop-shaped clamp strap. In this known embodiment, the lines or conductors having a relatively small diameter section are attached against partial shells that are attached eccentrically on the indicia bearing tab that have an angular cross-section. The clamping of these marking devices is to be further improved in accordance with the present invention.
Reference is further made to the Hawker U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,586, wherein a marking device is disclosed that is made up of likewise two adjoining and locked half-shells; here, due to the geometry that has been selected for the conductor biasing means, it is very difficult to mark a conductor or line whose inside diameters almost correspond to the inside diameter of mutually adjoining locked partial shells.